System and method for nail foil application

ABSTRACT

A nail foil application method comprises cleaning a fingernail surface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adhering a nail foil, adhering the nail foil without requiring thermally activated adhesive, heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any other heat source, and sealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nail polish on the nail foil. Further disclosed is a nail foil application system which comprises a nail foil capable of being adhered upon a nail plate, and an adhesive on one side of the nail foil, where the nail foil is made of polyvinylchloride.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates in general to pre-cut cosmetic products,in particular, to nail foils applied to fingernails or toenails withoutthe need for heat, friction, or nail polish remover.

2. Description of the Related Art

Nails are known in the related art. Nails are typically a hardenedkeratin protein typically formed by a mammal's body, commonly known as afingernail or toenail.

Nail polish brushes are known in the related art. Conventional nailpolish brushes can vary widely in brush tip size and shape; such brushescan be as small as 1-2 mm in brush tip size, and thus conventional nailpolishes consistently suffer from poor resolution, lack of detail, andstreaks occurring during application on the nail when trying to achievefine detail.

Nail foils are known in the related art, some of which include: U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,600,030 (Newman), 4,781,484 (Goncalves), 4,974,610 (Orsini),5,415,903 (Hoffman, et al.), 5,928,457 (Engler), 5,964,977 (Sirdesai, etal.), 5,976,140 (Haas), 6,296,836 (Engler), 6,328,949 (Tessarolo, etal.), 6,367,485 (Dutton-Davis, et al.), 6,516,813 (Yiu), 6,536,444(Chung), 6,797,261 (Le), 6,742,237 (Chang), 7,861,730 (Janice Jordan ofMinx, Inc.); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/893,561 (Jordan); U.S.Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 20110061670 (Schneider, et al.), 20110132384 (Han),20100178321 (Hanatani, et al.), and 20030209249 (Park); U.S. ProvisionalApp. No. 60/848,126 (Jordan); PCT Pat. App. No. AU1993000474 (Schmidt);Korean Pat. App. Nos. 1020000063944 (Kim), 1020020008283 (Lee, et al.),1020030075440 (Hwang, et al.), and 1020030088611 (Park); and EP Pat. No.1362523 (Chang). Nail foils also vary in the level of skill required toapply a nail foil, such as professional manicurist as opposed to aconsumer retail foil. Conventional nail foils are typically heat-basedor provided in the form of nail polish strips.

Heat-activated nail foils are known in the related art. Heat-based nailfoils in the related art typically require heat to activate theadhesive. Such heat-based nail foils require the use of a hair dryer,heat lamp, friction, or other heat source. However, heat-based foils areoften awkward due to requiring more steps, and for some foils, a personmust be certified to perform such steps, such as a manicurist.Conventional heat-based nail foils are directly applied to the nailplate.

Nail polish strips are also known in the related art. Nail polish stripstypically have to be removed with nail polish remover. Therefore, suchstrips can be difficult to remove. Sally Hansen nail polish strips are anon-exhaustive example of a nail polish strip. Such nail polish stripsknown in the related art consistently suffer from ease of removal sincenail polish remover must later be applied. Nail polish strips typicallyprovide a dry nail polish on a strip, directly applied to the nailplate. After it is applied onto a fingernail or toenail, the strip thenhas to be removed using nail polish remover. Nail polish remover cancarry an undesirable or pungent odor, and can create a second difficultclean-up process when removing the nail strip.

Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for a nail foil systemthat does not use heat or friction, has a more resilient material,facilitates an easier application process onto the nail, and permitseasy removal after use. It can also be seen that there is a need to usecommon clear nail polish in applying a nail foil. Furthermore, it can beseen that there is a need for a nail foil that is applied and sealedwith clear nail polish, yet does not require any nail polish remover toremove the nail foil. Moreover, it can be seen that there is a need toprovide a nail foil that does not require nail polish remover.Additionally, it can be seen that there is a need to overcome the lackof ability to apply intricate, finely detailed designs on a nail usinghand-painted nail polish with greater consistency, resiliency, and awider variety of designs. Finally, it can be seen that there is a needto address any combination of these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize otherlimitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding thepresent specification, this specification discloses a method comprisingcleaning a nail surface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adheringa nail foil, adhering the nail foil without requiring thermallyactivated adhesive, heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any otherheat source, and sealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nailpolish on the nail foil is disclosed.

The following aspects are non-exclusive and are not always required ofall embodiments and are provided herein as non-limiting illustrations tobetter understand the present invention.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a thin yet highlydurable nail foil.

An aspect of the present invention can be to achieve ideal fitting.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a safer applicationprocess for nail foils, including having no formaldehyde, no toluene, noDBP, no camphor and no animal testing for health and environmentallyconscious consumers.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a more accessiblehighly detailed nail foil design.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil thatcan be applied with common household nail polish.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil withoutthe use of heat or other thermal activation.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil whichis highly durable and resilient.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a stretchable nailfoil for ideal fitting while balancing highly desirable durability.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil whichis safe and easy to use.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil whichadheres permanently unless desired to be removed.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide an alternative tonail polish that does not chip easily.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a pre-applicationhigh quality printing process on a durable material to achieve very highquality, intricate prints

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide an extremely thinand comfortable nail accessory.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide a nail foil whichis easy to remove when desired, particularly, without the use of nailpolish.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide greater selection,variety, and higher distinction by providing a medium which canfacilitate non-utility (decorative) aspects while benefitting fromenhanced protection.

An aspect of the present invention can be to pre-coat the nail to betterprotect it, minimizing or avoiding direct contact of the nail foil withthe nail.

An aspect of the present invention can be to provide better protectionof the design on the nail foil by sealing it with another coat afterapplication to the nail.

The description of the preferred embodiments is to be understood asnon-limiting examples of the present invention. The true scope of theinvention is to be understood by the claims and not limited by thepreferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings in which like reference numbers representcorresponding parts throughout:

FIG. 1 illustrates a method diagram of a possible embodiment the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a possible embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a of a possible embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of the preferred embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in whichis shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which theinvention may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

References throughout the specification to “a possible embodiment,” “apreferred embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “an embodiment,” and likereference to “embodiment” are non-limiting examples to aid inunderstanding an element, function, way, result, means, structure,aspect, and/or benefit of the present invention. An “embodiment”provides that there is one or more embodiments that can involve thegiven element or aspect of the invention. Thus, multiple instances of“an embodiment” and like reference do not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment.

It shall be understood that “application” or “application process” whenused in reference to a nail generally refers to the process of putting anail foil onto a nail plate.

It shall be understood that “distal” when used in reference to nail foil200 can refer to the portion of nail foil 200 which is more distal thanthe proximal end closer to the cuticle at the time of adhering 108 nailfoil 200 to nail plate I.

It shall be understood that “high quality printing” when used inreference to decorating nails can refer to at least having a greaterresolution than a conventional nail polish paint brush, typically 1-2 mmin brush size at the application point, with resolution ranging anywherefrom better than 1 mm up to a resolution of the highest quality printer,whether silk screen process or otherwise, or equivalent thereof,including 300 dpi to 4000 dpi and above.

It shall be understood that “nail” or “nail plate” can refer to ahardened portion typically found on a distal digital phalange of amammal. When referring to nail plate I, “nail” or “nail plate” can alsorefer to its surface upon which a coat of nail polish may be applied,including but not limited to any artificial nail.

It shall be understood that “nail edge” can refer to a distal relativeportion of nail plate I, typically having an exposed portion extendingfrom the mammal's finger or toe and typically opposite the cuticle sideof the nail plate.

It shall be understood that “nail foil” or “foil” can refer to nail foil200 as defined in this specification, which is not comprised of the nailor nail plate itself.

It shall be understood that “nail polish” can refer to any nail polish,including, by way of non-limiting illustration, any clear or colorednail polish, transparent or non-transparent, acrylic or non-acrylic.

It shall be understood that “PVC” or “polyvinylchloride” includes,without limitation, polyvinylchloride or any derivative or equivalentthereof.

It shall be understood that “transparent” when used in reference to nailpolishes, nail foils, or ultraviolet (UV) printing can refer to apartially transparent or partially opaque and partially see-through.

SPECIFICS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a method diagram of the present invention. As shownin FIG. 1, a method can comprise the following processes describedbelow.

Cleaning 100 can be done by freeing the nail plate of debris or otherundesirable objects on the surface of the fingernail. Cleaning 100 canbe done to prepare the surface before applying any nail polish or nailfoil. Cleaning 100 can be done with any cleaning material or tools. Byway of non-limiting illustration, cleaning 100 can be performed byrubbing alcohol on the plate, applying mild solvent, washing or rinsingwith water, drying with air or with a towel, brushing the surface,lightly scraping the surface of the nail plate, using a cuticle pusherto move portions of the cuticle toward the nail bed, applying nailpolish remover, or any other method now known or its equivalent.

Coating 102 can include applying at least one layer of nail polish,preferably transparent nail polish. Coating 102 a layer of clear nailpolish onto the nail. A layer of clear coat nail polish can be appliedonto the nail before applying the nail foil. Conventional nail foils donot apply any coat prior to the nail foil. Coating 102 can have one ormore benefits. Some benefits of coating 102 can include: (a) the nailplate can be protected by the layer of transparent nail polish; (b) thenail polish enhances conformity to the surface by providing a smoothersurface; (c) the nail foil adheres to the nail plate once the nailpolish is applied; and/or (d) the nail can be better protected fromdamage as the clear coat of nail polish protects the nail surface. Toexpand on the surface conformity benefit, the problem of applying acurved nail foil to an irregular surface nail plate tends to reduce thenail foil's applicability to the nail plate. Striations, gift spots, orother irregularities on the surface of the nail plate I can create aless effective surface upon which to achieve greater adhesion and thus alonger-lasting nail foil cover. A benefit of coating 102 over directapplication to nail plate I being typically composed of keratin made bya mammal's body is to provide an adhesive to which an adherent can bondwith more effectively once applied to the nail plate I and dried. Sincekeratin is a fibrous protein, coating 102 can provide a more consistentsurface while providing a measure of protection of the underlying nailplate I. Further, another surface inconsistency which can interfere ordegrade bonding of adhesives can be the natural striation of the nailplate I as it grows. That striation can form grooves which can alsoincrementally make adhesion less effective without first performingcoating 102. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know howto perform coating 102.

Drying 104 can allow the clear nail polish to dry upon the nail platebefore the nail foil can be properly applied thereto. Drying 104 can aidin allowing a pre-designed nail foil 200 to adhere more effectively. Abenefit of drying 104 can be to reduce movement of nail foil 200 on thenail plate. Applying coating 102 and drying 104 are not strictlynecessary to benefit from the other elements of the present invention,but are preferred.

Selecting 106 can refer to choosing a foil size that matches the size ofa given nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment, one sheet 400 (FIG. 4)of the nail foils can be provided in a quantity of twenty-two nail foils200 in different sizes. In a preferred embodiment, a retail package cancomprise one or more sheets 400, preferably at least two sheets 400 toprovide forty-four nail foils 200 in total. One of ordinary skill in thepertinent art would know how to compare and select a foil of appropriatesize. FIG. 4 shows a non-limiting example of sheet 400 from which nailfoils 200 can be selected 106.

Adhering 108 can be done by putting the PVC nail coating onto the nail,starting at the cuticle. Adhering 108 can be done without the use ofthermally sensitive material. Thus, no external heat source is required.Heat or friction is unnecessary to perform adhering 108. One of ordinaryskill in the pertinent art who uses heat-based foils requires greaterknowledge since heat is required, but the present invention does notrequire heat and thus the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent artis comparatively lower than that required of the art of heat-based nailfoils, which may require a manicurist who is educated or trained toapply a heat-activated nail foil.

Adjusting 110 can be done by moving nail foil 200 on nail plate I as theadhering 108 process is being performed. Adjusting 110 can help toremove all air bubbles and to create a better fit on nail plate I.Adjusting 110 can include, by way of non-limiting illustration:flattening, stretching, curving, bending, de-bubbling, rubbing,repositioning. Nail foil 200 can be stretched and flattened. Whenapplying nail foil 200 onto the nail plate I, nail foil 200 can allowfor a measure of stretching or adjusting onto nail plate I. Flatteningand stretching can occur using any approach, by way of non-limitingillustration: by hand or by finger, by using an orangewood stick, by acuticle pusher, or by any other approach, until it fits onto, conformsto, adheres to, or otherwise attaches to the nail plate I. Nail foil 200can be stretchable without requiring any form of heat or friction to bebendable for adjusting 110. A benefit of the present invention can be tosmooth foil while simultaneously deforming or reforming the foil overthe nail plate I or nail edge II, for example, at room temperaturewithout any other heat or UV treatment, then substantially reforming itsoriginal shape while providing better adherence to the surface of nailplate I or a coat of acrylic or nail polish, such as coat 202,thereupon. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how toadjust the foil in accordance with the present invention. One of expertskill in the art could be more adept at adjusting 110, but such skill isnot required. Nail foil 200 can be stretchable and not rigid. That waythe nail foil 200 can: (a) easily be wrapped around the nail plate I;(b) achieve a smooth fit to the nail plate I; and (c) and can bestretchable. Because of the stretching capability of the PVC material,the nail foil 200 can be fitted very well onto the nail over nail foilsin the related art, which can be seen as an improvement over pre-printednails using other approaches. Adjusting 110 can be seen as part of theoverall adhering process 108 as it can occur simultaneously withadhering 108.

Removing excess 112 can refer to further fitting the nail foil 200 basedon the shape of nail plate I after the nail foil is adhered 108 and/oradjusted 110. Removing excess 112 can include, by way of non-limitingillustration, clipping, tearing, marking, cutting, filing down excessportion 304 of nail foil 200 off from the otherwise attached portion ofthe nail foil 200 on the nail plate I. Removing excess 112 can be donewith a nail file, nail clipper, or equivalent. Excess portion 304 ofnail foil 200 can easily be filed off with a nail file. In anembodiment, removing excess 112 can occur by filing nail foil 200 bymoving an abrasive, such as a nail file, along the nail edge II, whichcan thereby remove a portion of nail foil 200 being excess portion 304extending distally past nail edge II and having no nail plate I orartificial nail thereunder.

Sealing 114 a second coat of nail polish can then occur. Sealing can bedone, by way of non-limiting illustration, with any coating, with coloror without color, glitter or no glitter, preferably with clear nailpolish. Some non-exclusive benefits of sealing 114 can include: (a)combining the foil and the nail plate into a single coherent piece; (b)reducing chipping, scuffing, rubbing, of nail foil 200 on nail edge IIdue to the protective outer or second coat 203; (c) enhancing visibilitythrough the layer of clear coat with higher contrast due to higher glossfrom the nail polish; and/or (d) sealing 114 protects nail foil 200 fromdamage. A benefit can be to allow a user of the present invention tohave a degree of nail protection while performing everyday tasks, by wayof non-limiting illustration: showering, washing hands or other objects,opening doors, using phones, or other daily activities. One of ordinaryskill in the pertinent art would know how to remove excess 112 inaccordance with the present invention. In a possible embodiment, glitternail polish can be used to provide a coat after adhering 108 isperformed.

Repeat 100-114 for all nail plates I.

Removing 116 can include pulling or peeling nail foil 200 off nail plateI after use. Removing 116 can be done without using nail polish remover,unlike nail polish strips or conventional nail polish. Thus, a benefitof the present invention can be to avoid the use of a nail polishremover. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would not need tohow to use nail polish remover to perform the limitations of the method110-116 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a possible embodiment of thepresent invention. Nail foil 200 is shown in FIG. 2, with coat 202,outer coat 203, adhesive 204, nail plate I, nail edge II, and mammaliandigit III.

Nail plate I can refer to any mammalian nail on a finger or toe.

Nail foil 200 can comprise, by way of non-limiting illustration:polymer, vinyl, nylon, plastic, metal or alloy, paper, keratin, fibrousmaterial, biomaterial, any substrate capable of being printed upon, anyderivative thereof, or any combination thereof. Nail foil 200 can becapable of being adhered upon nail plate I. In a preferred embodiment,nail foil 200 can be a cast PVC nail foil. In a preferred embodiment,nail foil 200 can be 0.060 mm thick. Nail foil 200 can be less than0.060 mm thick, but if nail foil 200 is too thin, it can lack resilienceand durability desirable for nail foil 200. Nail foil 200 can be thickerthan 0.060 mm, but embodiments which are too thick can be harder to flexand more difficult to adhere to nail plate I, Nail foil 200 can have atleast one curved edge 302, typically capable of being applied near thecuticle IV (FIG. 3). Thickness can be understood without any protectivepaper, such as sheet 400, or adhesive 204. The thinness of nail foil 200makes it extremely user-friendly, easy to apply, and while wearing theproduct the user can perform daily activities. Nail foil 200 in PVCembodiments can be ideal for high quality printing and very intricatedesign, otherwise not applicable onto nail decorations with othermethods. By way of non-limiting illustration, since intricate designscannot easily be achieved with nail polish alone or by hand paintednails, applying nail foil 200 with a pre-printed high quality designallows for far greater consistency, durability, and design potential.Nail foil 200 can be used on, without limitation, mammals or onartificial nails. Nail foil 200 can comprise both cast-polyvinylchloride(PVC) and a clear nail polish to protect nail plate I. In a preferredembodiment, nail foil 200 can be a Cast-PVC foil with high-quality silkscreen printing and with extreme durability applied after a first coat202 of nail polish and sealed with a second coat 203 of nail polish.Nail foil 200 can be superior to rigid conventional nail foils. In apreferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be a self-adhesive cast PVCfoil. Nail foil 200 can be a cast PVC nail foil with thickness 0.060 mmbearing upon in a given prefabricated design 300 with adhesive 204underneath. If nail foil 200 is curved onto the surface of nail plate I,adhesive 204 can aid in adhering nail foil 200 to the nail plate I, witha transparent layer of clear nail coat (clear nail polish) 202underneath. Nail plate I can be beneath coat 202. In PVC embodiments ofnail foil 200 having thickness ranging from 0.04 mm to 0.95 mm, nailfoil 200 can provide superior dimensional stability while allowing ameasure of relative flexibility to pull nail foil 200 over the nail edgeII. Nail foil 200 can hold approximately twenty percent flexibilitywhile retaining dimensional stability. Nail foil 200 can have an excessportion 304 at after a given nail foil 200 is adhered to the nail plateI. The excess portion 304 can be filed from the nail foil afterinitially fitting the nail foil 200 onto the nail plate I. Severalpotential benefits can be realized in some embodiments of the presentinvention:

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance dimensional stabilityaccording to FINAT TM 14; after bonding on steel, nail foil 200 providesno measurable shrinkage in lateral direction, and a maximum of 0.1 mm inrotational direction.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance adhesive strength of 18Newtons/25 mm, FINAT TM1, after twenty four hours, stainless steel.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to avoid heat or friction to bedeformable or reformable, or to activate an adhesive 204. No heat lampor blow dryer is needed to thermally influence nail foil 200 to applynail foil 200 to nail plate I. Nail foil 200 can be deformable andreformable at room temperature.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to allow use of common household nailpolish to seal nail foil 200 onto the nail. Nail foil 200 can serve as atangible medium of expression upon which decorative works can be affixedor otherwise displayed. Thus, nail foil 200 can provide higher-qualitydecorative patterns along with enhanced nail surface protection overconventional painted nails, thus achieving greater distinction andprotection.

A benefit of nail foil 200 over rigid conventional foils is to allowsuch flexibility to have a better fit nail foil and thus a betterappearance, designed to be without bubbles. Nail foil 200 does not haveto touch nail plate I. Nail foil 200 can, in a preferred embodiment,adhere only to the clear coat between nail plate I and nail foil 200.Nail foil 200 can have a measure of heat-resistance in resilient PVCmaterial embodiments. Nail foil 200 can vary in size. Nail foil 200 inmost preferred embodiments range from 1″×0.25″wide, to 2.0″×0.75″ tosuit a variety of nail sizes. Sheet 400 can provide a variety of sizes.Any RGB and CMYK colors can be printed onto nail foil 200. In apreferred embodiment, nail foil 200 can be printed upon to createprefabricated design 300 with high-end silk-screen process printing.Special colors or markings, such as UV spot printing, can be used for UVprinting on nail foil 200, UV-offset printing, flexographic printing, orany other printing method. Nail foil 200 can have a surface which ismatte or glossy, or a combination thereof. In some preferredembodiments, nail foil 200 can have white and transparent colors;however, nail foil 200 is not limited to any particular color. Printingon nail foil 200 can also cover artwork for lettering, labeling anddecorating. A benefit of nail foil 200 can be greater resilience anddurability. Several possible benefits are described below. A benefit ofthe present invention can be to provide greater temperature stability.For example, the present invention can have bonding on aluminum, −50Celsius (C) to +10 C, with no resultant change. A benefit of nail foil200 in reaction to fire is to provide self-extinguishing capabilityunder the DIN 75200 standard, being fire tested with bonding on steel.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide seawater stability; underDIN 50021 upon bonding on aluminum, after 100 hours at 23° C. resultingin no change.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide solvent or chemicalresistance. At room temperature after seventy-two hours with bonding onaluminum, the nail foil 200 can provide resilience against most oils andhigh viscosity grease, fuels, aliphatic solvents, weak acids, salts, andalkaline solutions. Nail foil 200 can be designed to provide enhancedresilience and durability.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide tear strength in accordancewith DIN EN ISO 527, with longitudinal and lateral strength measured atmin 19 MPa.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide enhanced tear strength.Ultimate elongation can be measured at approximately 120%, bothlongitudinal and lateral. Ultimate elongation of 120% provides that nailfoil 200 can be stretched to 120% of the original size of nail foil 200before tearing occurs. This again is helpful for the application processonto the nail, as the product can be stretched over the nail until aperfect fit is achieved.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to facilitate shelf life storage,lasting in sealed plastic packaging at 20° C. and 50% relative airmoisture.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to provide a bonding temperature ofmin 8° C.

A benefit of nail foil 200 can be to enhance durability withprofessional workmanship and at vertical outdoor exposure under MiddleEuropean standard climatic conditions at 10 years based on use of PVCunderlying material.

One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to incorporatefoil 200 in accordance with the present invention based on thedisclosure of this specification.

Coat 202 can be a layer of nail polish applied before nail foil 200 isadhered. In a preferred embodiment, can be a transparent layer of nailpolish applied before adhesive 204 of nail foil 200 are attached to nailplate I. In a preferred embodiment, coat 202 can be “5 Free” meaning:(1) no formaldehyde, (2) no toluene, (3) no DBP, (4) no camphor and (5)no animal testing. Coat 202, having one or more clear nail polishlayers, can aid in protecting nail plate I, extend durability of nailfoil 200, and can make decorative designs on nail foil 200 shine. Havingclear nail polish for coat 202 on the nail plate I and a second coat 202on nail foil 200 can have one or more additional benefits. By way ofnon-limiting illustration, the first layer can protect nail plate I,such that adhesive 204 is not directly in contact with the nail surface.Coat 202 can also provide a smooth surface for best possible adhesion.The second layer seals the product. Coat 202 can protects againstchipping, specifically at nail edge II. The presence of coat 202 canhelp reduce the wear and tear of nail foil 200 due to various dailyactivities impacting the fingernails or toenails, ranging from typing,showering, washing hands, washing dishes, or otherwise. Also, the secondlayer of clear nail polish brings the design to life. It delivers shineand the design ‘shines’ through the layer of clear nail polish. Therecan be an upper coat 202 and an undercoat 202, or any number of coatstherebetween. One of ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know howto incorporate coat 202 in accordance with the present invention basedon the disclosure of this specification.

Adhesive 204 can be any pressure-sensitive adhesive, acrylic ornon-acrylic, regardless of thermal sensitivity. In a preferredembodiment, adhesive 204 can be any solvent polyacrylate or anyequivalent thereof. A benefit of non-thermally sensitive adhesive 204can be to permit attaching nail foil 200 without using any externalenergy source, such as a lamp emitting heat, friction created on thefoil itself thus emitting heat, or a blow dryer emitting warmed air. Oneof ordinary skill in the pertinent art would know how to incorporateadhesive 204 in accordance with the present invention based on thedisclosure of this specification. A wide range of adhesives can be usedfor adhesive 204. For example, by way of non-limiting illustration,adhesive 204 can be solvent polyacrylate, acrylate resin, acrylicpolymer, bioadhesive, animal glue, polyacrylate, rubber, polychloropreneaka neoprene, or any other adhesive, any adhesive activated bytemperature, moisture, radiation, ultraviolet light, or any combinationthereof. By way of non-limiting illustration, such polyacrylates can becyanoacrylate, polyurethane, urethane, epoxy, polyamide, polymethylacrylate, sodium polyacrylate, calcium polyacrylate or any emulsionincluding any PVAc emulsions, or any combinations thereof. By way ofnon-limiting illustration, adhesive 204 can also be any adhesive whichis elastomer-based, thermoplastic-based, emulsion-based, andthermoset-based ethylene-vinyl acetate-based, or any other derivative.Adhesive 204 can comprise an absence of thermal-sensitive adhesive.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of a possible embodiment of thepresent invention. Outer or second coat 203 is shown in FIG. 3, withprefabricated design 300, nail foil 200, nail plate I, mammalian digitIII, and cuticle IV. Nail edge II, not shown in FIG. 3, can implicitlybe understood to be underneath nail foil 200 and distal to cuticle IV.It shall be understood that nail plate I can vary widely in shape andsize, and thus the present invention can be adapted to a wide variety ofshapes and sizes.

Prefabricated design 300 can be any decorative work affixed or otherwisedisplayed upon on, or attached to, nail foil 200. Prefabricated design300 is not strictly necessary to obtain the benefits of the nail foilapplication system or method of the present invention. However, abenefit of the present invention can be to allow for prefabricateddesign 300 to permit a greater degree of creativity and detail in nailfoil designs by providing a medium for such expression. In lesspreferred embodiments, prefabricated design can be modified before orafter application to nail plate, for example, with another nail foil 200or a portion thereof, or with additional decoration. In a possibleembodiment, application of prefabricated design 300 can occur withoutany other decorative steps. Prefabricated design 300 can be any workfixed in the nail foil 200. In a preferred embodiment, ornamental design300 can be a screen-printed design. By way of non-limiting illustration,ornamental design 300 can be a graphic, illustration, photo, pattern, orany combination thereof. Prefabricated design 300 being on nail foil 200allows for highly detailed printing or decorative attachment thatexceeds the limitations in conventional nail painting or naildecoration. A non-limiting example of prefabricated design 300 is shownin FIG. 4. It shall be understood that no particular design is necessaryto appreciate the benefits of having a prefabricated design, and thusthe present invention is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 4. Byproviding sheet 400, the present invention can offer many nail foilsvarying in size and having duplicate sizes in opposite rows, such thatthe present invention can provide greater selection of various nailfoils 200 on a single sheet 400. The user can then remove a chosen nailfoil 200 from sheet 400. Sheet 400 also provides a way to quicklymanufacture multiple nail foils 200 with one or more designs and sizes,with higher quality printing of prefabricated design 300.

Curved edge 302 can be a portion of nail foil 200 suitable to fit ontothe proximal portion of fingernail. A given nail foil 200 can have twocurved edges 206, both proximal and distal.

Excess portion 304 can comprise a portion of nail foil 200. Excessportion 304 can be filed off after nail foil 200 is adhered to nailplate I, preferably having at least a first coat 202 on nail plate I. Ina preferred embodiment, excess portion 304 can be made in the form of aprotruding rounded shape which is capable of being pulled when theopposite end of foil 200 is adhered 108. Excess portion 304, whether ina nub shape or simply part of a single curved shape forming nail foil200, can be helpful in adjusting 110 the nail foil 200.

FIG. 4 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention.

Sheet 400 is shown in FIG. 4, with nail foil 200 in various sizes onsheet 400, prefabricated design 300, curved edge 302, and excess portion304.

Sheet 400 can be provided underneath adhesive 204 on a sheet 210. A setof foils 200 can be provided on a sheet 400, preferably in packaging. Ina preferred embodiment, backing 400 can be a double-sided PE-coatedsilicone paperboard, 148 g/m². When applied to the nail (nail plate I),the preferred backing to which nail foil 200 is attached, instead ofsheet 400, can be a layer of clear nail polish such as undercoat 202. Ina preferred embodiment, sheet 400 can have twenty-two foils 200, witheleven on each side of sheet 400. The foils 200 can have 8 differentsizes in a preferred embodiment. Sheet 400 can be in the form of anybacking to which nail foil 200 can be initially provided, whetherrolled, a single sheet, stackable, or folded. Adhesive 304 can bebetween each nail foil 200 and sheet 400. In an embodiment,prefabricated design can overlap beyond the cutout shape of nail foil200 upon sheet 400; thus, the cutout shape on sheet 400 can be smallerthan the entire prefabricated design 300 as printed on sheet 400,allowing nail foil 200 to have prefabricated design go all the way tothe outer edge of nail foil 200 to avoid undesirable space void ofdesign.

FIG. 5 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention. Prefabricated design 300 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in otherembodiments to illustrate further non-limiting examples

FIG. 6 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a sheet view of a possible embodiment of the presentinvention. By way of non-limiting illustration, nail foil 200 can bepre-cut on sheet 400 for each nail foil 200 to be peeled from sheet 400and applied to the nail plate I.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the present invention provides a system and method for nailfoil application. A nail foil application method in accordance with thepresent invention provides a method comprising cleaning a fingernailsurface, applying a first coat of nail polish, adhering a nail foil,adhering the nail foil without requiring thermally activated adhesive,heat, friction, heat lamp, blow dryer, or any other heat source, andsealing the nail foil by applying a second coat of nail polish on thenail foil is disclosed. A nail foil application system in accordancewith the present invention comprises a nail foil capable of beingadhered upon a nail plate and an adhesive on one side of the nail foil,where the nail foil is made of polyvinylchloride. The foregoingdescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention notbe limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and theequivalents to the claims appended hereto.

1-5. (canceled)
 6. A nail foil application system, comprising: a nail foil; an adhesive on one side of the nail foil; where the nail foil is made of polyvinylchloride; and where the adhesive comprises solvent polyacrylate.
 7. the system of claim 6, where a prefabricated design is silk-screened upon the nail foil.
 8. the system of claim 6, where the adhesive is not thermally activated.
 9. (canceled)
 10. the system of claim 6, further comprising: a prefabricated design on the nail foil.
 11. the system of claim 6, where a first coat of acrylic underlies the adhesive layer adhered to the nail foil.
 12. the system of claim 6, where the nail foil is capable of being removed by peeling the nail foil.
 13. the system of claim 6, where the nail foil is removable without any nail polish remover.
 14. the system of claim 6, where the nail foil is deformable and reformable at room temperature.
 15. the system of claim 6, further comprising: an absence of thermal-sensitive adhesive.
 16. the system of claim 6, where the nail foil is 0.06 mm to 0.95 mm in thickness.
 17. the system of claim 6, where the nail foil is approximately 0.060 mm in thickness.
 18. the system of claim 11, further comprising: a sealing coat of acrylic applied to the surface of the nail foil.
 19. the system of claim 11, wherein the nail foil resists tearing at 19 MPa.
 20. the system of claim 11, wherein the nail foil is capable of elongating approximately 120% before tearing occurs. 